Slate-cleaner



(Model.)

v0. E. RAMAGB. sLATB CLEANER,

Patented May 8, 1.883.-

@www

N. PETERS, Phnw'uewgmprm. wminm. nc.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. RAMAGE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLATE-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming Apart of Letters Patent No. 277,341, dated May 8,1883.

Application iiled December 27,1882. (Model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. RAMAGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allegheny, in the countyof Allegheny and State i'lask, tothe neck of which is attached an elastic open frame that clasps andholds a piece of cloth for cleaning the slate, the neck of the flaskbeing covered by a perforated hinged cap, through which Water containedin the flask is to be sprinkled on the slate.

My object is to furnish to scholars a handy, cheap, and substantialmeans for cleaning their slates, to avoid the disgusting habit ot'spitting on them and of using their ngers, sleeves, or aprons to wipeoff Whatever marks or filth they wish to remove from their slates. Tosucceed in my endeavors I adopt for my slate-cleaner a form easilyhandled or carried, that maybe kept clean by simply removing the cloththat has been in use and substituting another therefor. A little waterpoured into the tlask when its top or. lid is raised sufces for a wholeday or longer, since by shaking the lask,its neck being turned down,only a sprinkling of the moisture escapes. Instead of a perforated capor lid,.a perforated cork Emay be used; but I prefer the hinged cap, as

it is not liable to be lost or misplaced.

The accompanying drawing represents my invention.

A represents an oblong ask with a short neck, b, on top. On the neck ishinged a perforated cap or lid, c, that clasps its upper edgesufficiently to remain closed until opened by some slight effort. Theneck b is placed in the middle on the lask, nearly ush with its rearside, to make room in front for a hinge, d, to which an open elasticframe, e, is hinged, that is of the length and width of the ask, andprovided on its lower side with a clasp that catches under the bottom ofthe ask. The front side of the ask is slightly raised. forming ashoulder or offset all around it, near its edge, of a depth and Width toreceive the elastic frame e when bent down and place it below thesurface' of the flask. A piece of cloth spread over the front of theliask when the frame e is raised will be firmly held by the frame whenbent down over it and clasped under the bottom of the flask. Thus thecloth may be placed or removed and changed by a child Wit-hout the leastdifficulty.

I am aware that slate-cleaners with a sponge in the necks and pads undertheir bottom are in use; 4but their form is unhandy, and the exchange ofpads, when soiled, for clean ones requires time and a degree of skillthat young scholars generally do not possess.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. A slate-cleaner providedwith a hinged elastic frame that holds a piece of cloth for wiping andcleaning a slate, substantially as described.

2. A slate-cleaner in the form of an oblong flask with a neck covered bya perforated cap or cork, through which the water contained in the flaskmay be sprinkled on the slate, in combination with a hinged frame forholding a piece of cloth upon the ask, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of 'two witnesses.

CHARLES E. BAMAGE. Witnesses: t

Louis MoEsER, T. F. LEHMANN.

